Iron and Fire : Pearls of a Life
by Rain on your Back
Summary: HXJ, compilation of drabbles. They fight together. They play together. They play stranges games... Hate, Love? A few pearls of their lifes.
1. Always alone

**Iron and Fire : Pearl of Life**

**Author:** Rain on Your Back

**Disclaimer:** Shaman King doesn't belong to me... Even my chiwis... T.T

**Note:** So... This is a compilation of drabbles. HaoXJeanne as always.

**Name of the current drabble:** Always alone

* * *

Still catch in the fogs of the deep sleep of resurrection, her conscience remade surface painfully. Blood knocked in her temples, her head was like she was enclosed in an invisible vice. Tears of pain passed the barrier of her eyelids. Slowly, she managed to open her eyes.

Alone, she was alone… Again.

She inspected the room, all was so cold there… She could have died and nothing… Nobody would have worry about her fate. Crushed by loneliness and pain she turned in her bed and finally saw him in the darkness.

A smile took shape, she'd fell asleep again.

* * *

**Hao:** Ahah, my name isn't write, honor is safe!

**Jeanne:** Me neither, thanks Gods! Ahah, she hasn't the space to describe! AHAH!

**Hao:** ... In the end, maybe you're really a psychopath... That's cool! ~

**Arya:** Sayo will be jealous. *hit by the brown-haired girl*


	2. Sequins

**Iron and Fire : Pearl of Life**

**Author:** Rain on Your Back

**Disclaimer:** Shaman King doesn't belong to me... Even my chiwis... T.T

**Name of the current drabble:** Sequins

* * *

- JEAAAAAANNEEEE I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!

- Oh no dear I'm afraiiiiid…

- COME HERE AND I'LL BROKE YOU INTO A MILLION OF PIECES!

- You hope that it will convince me to come? How foreseeable.

- You little …

- Ah, stay polite, please.

- You're a perfect horrible psycho! You has…

- Put something in your shampoo, yes.

- SEQUINS !

- Absolutely right.

- GO AWAY FROM ME, WITCH !

- I would fear you to miss me, Hao-chan.

- SEQUINS !

- Ya know, it's cute, you look like you have stars in your hair.

* * *

**Hao:** ... If you even try again...

**Jeanne:** Ahah. I've photos now. I can blackmail you. You! Marco'll be happy.

**Hao:** ... I'LL KILL HIM! AND YOU, WITCH!

**Sayo:** DON'T BE RUDE, YOU STUPID! *hit him*

**Jeanne:** Thanks.

**Sayo:** My pleasure. He's so stupid...

**Hao:** ... I think I made a mistake somewhere...


	3. Fifteen hugs

**Title :** Such lifes**  
Author :** Rain on Your Back**  
****Disclaimer :** Hao and Jeanne are canon? No? So you know. %)**  
Pairing : **HaoXJeanne**  
Note :** Done for the 15 hugs community of Live Journal

* * *

**Don't sleep  
Theme: Stuck together  
During the pre-selections**

- Can I call you Jeanne? We're getting a little close here.

She closed her eyes. He was just too relaxed. They were alone, in a collapsed cave; there was no time for trying to seduce his worst enemy.

She was tired…

Maybe sleeping, even wounded like she was, wasn't a so bad idea. Maybe she could relax.

Hao noticed she was slowly falling asleep. He hugged her tight, using his power to keep her warm and to heal her.

- Don't sleep. Don't even think about it. You would never awake.

He would never let her die like that.

**

* * *

**

**Gods and Humans  
Theme: Sleeping  
After Lilirara's death**

He was sleeping. So quiet …

Like he wasn't the Destroyer. Like he had never kill.

She watched him night after night, since Lilirara and the others were killed, without breaking the silence.

They were similar… They didn't care about the consequences, trying to reach their goals. And they had the strength to.

In this, they were gods.

But they weren't. She knew friendship and love; he knew pain and suffering. Emotions are the burden of the humans.

She approached him. He waited for her. One night, she hugged him. And disappeared for ever.

Not humans. But certainly not gods.

* * *

**Work of art  
Theme: Masterpiece  
During events of Gate of Babylon**

He always had a strange way to think about art.

At first, he thought it was her masterpiece. The Gate of Babylon. The only thing he couldn't despise. It was so strong of her to do this, and so dangerous. She couldn't control it now. She was too weak…

In the whiteness of the Gate, he saw her. She was suffering, crying, trying to protect her angels. So weak and yet so strong. A masterpiece, he thought again.

He walked to her and hugged her, to embrace this dark work of art. And as he did, he destroyed her.

Masterpiece.

* * *

**Dream, boy  
Theme: Falling  
During the end of the anime**

He was dreaming. He knew he was, because he would never have seen his Shaman Kingdom elsewhere.

He remembered losing. Losing against his twin brother. He was dead… Wasn't he?

Falling. He was falling deeper in his dream, feeling strange… He died twice. What was different? What changed? He heard something behind him and turned around.

She was there, looking at him with relief.

He didn't understand why the Iron Maiden was running at him and hugging him. He didn't understand why he didn't feel sadness, but a brightly peace.

He only understood that he didn't want to die anymore.

* * *

**Alike  
Theme: Childhood  
Same moment at the previous drabble  
**

Her childhood was sad and confused; just like his.

She grew alone; just like him.

She had seen people she cared for dying just in front of her; just like him.

The child she was fell deeply in darkness and anger; just like him.

But unlike him, she found people to care for; enough to make her understand that this world was beautiful and fragile, enough to make her build her path step by step, fierce and proud. She understood well that _he_ was fragile.

The child the Iron Maiden still was hugged the another child with all her might.

* * *

**No difference  
Theme: Bear-hugg  
After the anime, following the previous drabbles**

Even when he was angry against the whole world and even more, the fire shaman was always tender with her. She didn't know why… She did save him, but it wasn't really something she could not do. She never told him the Great Spirit had asked her to.

It made no difference; the Iron Maiden was truly, deeply, _passionately_ in love with him, never mind the curious or bad looks the others have given to her. She was always by his side. And she was always rewarded by that bear-hug of him.

He bear-hugged her only when he was happy.

* * *

**Romeo and Juliet  
Theme: Balcony  
After the anime, following the previous drabbles**

She never understood why he had insisted to take part of the theater group of their high school. And she never understood why he wanted her to come with him.

But one day, he came with their texts, yelling to her joyfully. She had no choice but learning and playing the game… Right?

That's why she was there, on a balcony, declaiming Shakespeare like the real Juliet.

She was beautiful, he though. Even more when he hugged the "dead" body of the little silver-haired girl, crying like he was dead himself.

Inside of him, a wind of happiness was blowing.

* * *

**Love cats  
Theme: Fur  
After the anime, following the previous drabbles**

- Jeanne… I'm not feeling good…  
- Hao… You're sick?  
- Sick of here. Let me take us elsewhere. I can't stand cities…  
- Wait for a few seconds… There!

She entered a house. He followed her… And ended bury under tons of fur. It was… Cats!

- You really know how to work with 'em, Hao dear. You know, for the job you searched… What do you think about here?

He stood up and hugged her.

- Jeanne, you know, you're really the only person who could have think of that.  
- How do you feel about adopting one?**

* * *

  
****Rain  
Theme: Kiss  
After the anime, following the previous drabbles**

Rain.

- You never kissed anyone before, I bet.  
- Hao, I'm the Iron Maiden. I do not kiss people without knowing them first.  
- You think you know me?  
- I don't think it, I know it. That's the difference.  
- You're too arrogant. So you never had your first kiss before me.  
- You are THAT stupid, aren't you? And jealous. It's uncalled for, you know? You had brides before. Did I ever complain about this?  
- Jeeeaanneee!

He hugged her, kissing her one more time, leaving the umbrella behind.

They were under the rain, and they were happy.

* * *

**Religion  
Theme: Glomp!  
After the anime, following the previous drabbles**

It was strange. A french restaurant, it's always strange, he knew it, but this was even stranger.

Kevin was now a cook, a good one. Jeanne smiled at him, hugging Hao to prevent him from escape. He looked at her.

- It this… Really… A frog?  
- The thigh of it only. You'll see, it's really delicious.  
- Glomp. You WANT me to EAT a pretty frog, who was still living and swimming yesterday? It's against my religion! Jeanne, you're crazier than me. And it's not a compliment!  
- I'll take it as one. It's really nice of you, Hao-kun.

* * *

**  
****Show them  
Theme: Worse Days  
After the anime, following the previous drabbles**

He never thought that there could be worse days than the death of his mother.

Now he knew better. The worse day you can ever have is the day before your marriage. And when everyone else is telling your almost-bride that it's a big mistake, it's even worse.

The only one who was smiling to him was his little brother. The older twin grinned at the younger. Yoh smiled in return.

- Go though. Show them, Yoh whispered.

Hao nodded, pushed all the other guests and hugged Jeanne tenderly.

It wasn't a bad day. It was one of the better.

* * *

**He's dead  
Theme: Hold me tight  
After the anime, following the previous drabbles**

_Come on, Jeanne, you've been though worse. It's not the end of the world… Just the end of yours. Don't cry. He would not want you to. Be strong, Jeanne. Your Lord will protect him now. He can rest. Be strong…_

_But I can't stop myself. He's gone. Entirely gone. For ever gone._

_The only father I ever had… Marco…_

The head of the Asakura family gently hugged his bride, tight. All she could do was crying and crying, her fingers holding his hair.

- Please, Hao, don't leave me… Hold me tight… Or else I'll fade away with him…

* * *

**Pregnant  
Theme: Chocolate  
After the anime, following the previous drabbles**

- I want chocolate.  
- … You know… The stores are closed at midnight.  
- I don't mind. I want chocolate, Hao. I _really_ want it.  
- I'm not a magician, you know?  
- I thought you were a god?  
- That, I am. But I can't make chocolate on my own.  
- A god who can't give me chocolate isn't a god.  
- Jeanne…  
- Hao.  
- … Very well. But I want a reward!  
- We'll see that…

He got out of the bed, taking his usual cap, and begun to search chocolate for his damned pregnant wife.

* * *

**Feather  
Theme: Ticklish  
After the anime, following the previous drabbles**  
**  
**She has her book in her hands. Her feet were drewed up, just a few centimeters away from Hao's hand. He smiled and begun to torture her.

- It's ticklish. Stop.  
- But you are enjoying it, right? I won't stop then.  
- I try to read. Hao, stop this.  
- But Jeaaaanne!

He hugged her, going on with his little teasing. He loved the way she fought back before surrender to him.

- Stop it Hao.  
- At least say it politely!  
- As you were. I said, stop to tickle my feet with this feather. I could kick you.

* * *

**Last goodbye  
Theme: Teddy Bear  
After the anime, following the previous drabbles**

She and her mother were alike, strongly beautiful. But she was only a kid.

- I want a teddy bear!  
- Shh, babe, daddy'll bring one to you.  
- You don't understand! I want a teddy for mommy. I want to give it to her so she'll think about me everytime she'll see it.

- Father?  
- Go back to home. I'll be there later.

She didn't complain, strangely, and left. He sighed and bowed in front of the grave.

- Good night, angel.

And he disappeared in the shadows, leaving the grave of his beloved Jeanne behind.

* * *

**Rain:** It didn't ended the way I wanted... T.T

**Hao:** At least I think Masterpiece's good. But... It's strange to put this one in the middle of the os-thing... No?

**Jeanne:** *complains* I dieeeeed... T.T

**Hao:** It's the only thing who matters for you?

**Jeanne:** ... Well no... Marco died toooo...


	4. Alone again

**Nom:** Alone

**Auteur:** Rain

**Disclaimer:** I own nothiiiiing…

**Note:** Uh… I took my inspiration from a citation of a friend… "Alone, I'm so calm. I love solitude. But with you, I act strangely, I feel strangely. I hate this feeling. " Double drabble %)

* * *

Alone.

He was always alone, after all. That doesn't change him much.

He just had to look into a beautiful fire to feel calm and happy. They called him pyromaniac, but it wasn't true. He just loved the fire, not the consequences of it. He didn't… Well, maybe sometimes he enjoyed the sight of screaming humans, but it was the whole element which was beautiful.

He had everything he could ever dream of, and then _she_ came along.

He thought it was not like she could bother him in any way, so he didn't mind. It was sometimes funny, to know there were another "god" on the earth. A real god, he wanted to mean. Rackist and Saati were strong, he knew it, but she was even more.

And she was _eleven_.

But it all came wrong after that. She was always around him or his other half, ready to jump at him. She was stupid to even try, and she knew it, but that didn't stop her, and it made him feel strange.

He began to act like he felt. Strange. He hated this. Why couldn't she leave him alone? He felt better alone.

Just a kid, smiled Keiko.

* * *

**Hao:** … *blinks*

**Jeanne:** It would be a real cliché, but I have to say… KAWAII!

**Keiko:** My children both are kawaii. Even if they don't want to. ^^ You are kawaii, Hao-chan ~

**Hao:** … *blushs* N-No way! I do not!

**Keiko&Jeanne:** DO TOO! ~


	5. Crazy

**Name:** Crazy

**Author:** Rain

**Disclaimer:** SK's not mine… But my way of looking on the two greatest chara is! %)

**Note:** Another aimless thing… %)

* * *

They didn't agree on much. Well, they rarely agreed on anything. Whenever Hao wanted an ice-cream, Jeanne cooked a cake. And whenever Jeanne wanted to go somewhere in the city – watching a film, eating in a restaurant or go to a friend, Hao bought her to the beach, or the mountains.

They fought all the time and they challenged each other every day, in all domains. At their university, they were the cleverest students (and Yoh loved Jeanne to have obtained of Hao to work seriously when even Anna failed). When they had to cook, the kitchen ended in a patchwork of egg and sugar, 'cause they always ended fighting each other. Their fight never ended since the beginning of the Shaman Fight.

Hao was carefree; Jeanne was serious. Hao was rude; Jeanne was polite. He was tall; she was as small as she was in the SF. The omnyou was smart; the Iron Maiden was clever. Hao was dark; Jeanne was innocent –well, not anymore but she was.

No, really, Yoh though, his brother and the little Iron Maiden were really different.

But despite their differences they had one important thing in common: they were crazy about each other.

* * *

**Hao:** Otôto?

**Yoh:** Hai?

**Hao:** Since when are you clever?

**Yoh:** … Since Anna got me work?

**Hao:** It explains things.


	6. His words

Name: His words

Author: Rain

Disclaimer: SK's not mine…

Note: DrabbleX4 %) An alternate ending of the events of Gate of Baylon. Hao had kept Jeanne with him and became the Shaman King.

* * *

Long ago, it has been a night where the moon was completely dark. There were no stars either. It was a bloody night, because of him.

After that night, she had nothing left but him. And his words.

His words were her prison. Since that night she was locked up in a little room of eternal darkness, seeing nothing but the blood on the walls, nothing but him whenever he wanted to see her. But his presence, even disturbing, was not as horrible as his words. His deep voice was ringing in her ears, so strong that she wanted to block her ears tight, but she knew it was foolish – escaping from him was impossible.

He had told her so. And she eventually believed him.

His words were fierce and proud and dark and dangerous. They were making her shiver and tremble. He could be soft sometimes, but his voice always gave him away. He wanted to be the master and her the puppet. He allowed her to go outside sometimes, but all she could see was the fire. The fire in her memories, the fire in his eyes.

The fire was like his words. She hated both of them because they didn't let any freedom. Those dark whispers that promised comfort and love and stupid other things he would never gave her. They killed all life left in her heart, they were like a curse.

But now his words no longer make her shiver. They no longer destroy all hope and no longer exist because she had killed those words.

She had killed him.

When her blade had plunge deep into his flesh, she had felt really strange. She saw flashes of memories of her friends. She shuddered at the disgusting feeling. Hard to forget all of them, her angels. She had looked at him. He smiled before dying.

This smile now haunted her. In fact it was all her past which haunted her. And she now stayed in the shadows, far away from the others survivors of the Shaman Fight.

She remembers that night. He was covered by his own blood. His eyes were wide open, but those eyes were no longer alive, but they still were dark and dangerous. And she was still with him, celebrating with his ghost the unforgettable night when she had finally killed him, as she promised long ago.

She always kept her promises.

* * *

Rain: It's darker than the others drabbles…Darker…

Hao: I liked the beginning… BUT WHY DID I DIE?

Jeanne: I liked the end. BUT WHY DID MARCO AND THE OTHERS DIE?

Rain: Ahah. I like it when you TWO are mad at me… Wait… Don't oversoul like that… You're scaring… Eh… *runs for her life*


	7. Hate

**Name :** Hate**  
Author :** Rain on Your Back**  
****Disclaimer :** Shaman King is not mine %)**  
Pairings :** HaoXJeanne as usual^^

_

* * *

_

Hate. A feeling Jeanne didn't know at all. That was normal, she was only eleven. She was like a pure angel. All she did was love and pity.

Marco hated. Lyserg hated. God, even Meene hated! Not Jeanne.

So, when she met Hao the very first time, she didn't get angry or cross or furious, not even a bit.

Despite all Marco's warnings, despite all she knew about the Destroyer, she couldn't bring herself to hate herself to hate him, even if she said otherwise. What was strange was that, deep inside, she felt growing in her the total opposite.

* * *

**Jeanne :** Lies. Only lies.

**Hao :** You sure?

**Jeanne : **S... SURE! Watch what you're saying, Destroyer!


	8. Fear the Night

**Name:** Fear the Night

**Author:** Rain…

**Disclaimer:** SK is Takei's. %)

**Note:** Totally random title. I don't really know how I got this one, I was all "aaaah can't find titles…" and then I caught this one. And… Aaah, I don't know why I'm so into drama these days %)

* * *

Dying never felt so heavy before.

Since the very beginning of her life as the X-Laws' Iron Maiden, she knew she would die, sooner or later. It did not make it any easier, but she learned how to forget, to obliterate her feelings and wishes. After all, she did not matter.

All that mattered was her two fathers' will, and they wished for Hao's death.

So she trained. Day after day, week after week, year after year she trained in order to surpass him. He was everywhere in her life, he was everything to her. Even if it was in a negative way, he was always with her.

When Rackist turned away, the Iron Maiden did not shed a tear. When she discovered that he had gone with Hao, she felt her heart die. So why did she exist? If even her family, for which she had worked so hard, preferred him, why was she still here?

The young girl watched Marco slowly turning mad, only to be brought back by some new member, a Canadian woman, but she did not feel anything. Only one thought passed through her head: slowly, she was stripped of all family, all boundaries, left alone to face him.

Now Jeanne was even more alone. Marco was long gone, almost always drunk since the death of the Canadian girl, Hans thought she betrayed him and Lyserg was not someone she could count on, since he followed only because he believed she was his savior.

And now that she was facing death itself, she felt her confidence wavering, stumbling under the weight of a destiny she never asked for, that destiny the Iron Maiden always believed in.

Because, as time passed by, Jeanne seemed to distance herself from the Iron Maiden. That persona who was calm, strong, almost insensible felt so foreign to the young girl, and now that her own Doomsday was coming closer, she felt a sharp urge to live. Not to live her seemingly bright existence of a saint, but the one of a normal teenage girl.

Sometimes she imagined herself as that teenager. She saw herself dressing like she wanted, going out whenever and wherever she wanted, watching stupid films, going on dates… Dates with boys… Ah ah.

No one knew of this. No one could ever know, at least none of her followers and – dared she say – family. If Lyserg or Marco ever discovered this, all would go down in flames, and what she stood for would turn its back to her. She could never bear a disappointed look from the one she considered as her father. Jeanne did everything she could to keep her destroyed and fragile ersatz of a family she still had.

That was why the mask of the Iron Maiden was still in place two days away from what would certainly be her death. She could not let it slip, and if that had to cost her her life, so be it. Not that she valued her existence much in front of the relationship she had with the remaining X-Laws anyway.

And so she was trapped. Trapped between her wishes and her friends'. Marco's. Lyserg's too, even if in the end, if the two men had different needs, she would protect Marco. He was her father, after all. He had not really abandoned her, even when he was broken after the death of Meene.

- And that count to you, right?

Her pale eyelashes closed. She let out a long breath, as if she had been into apnea, and then her eyes fluttered open, staring at the brown-haired boy who was in front of her window. They stayed silent for what seemed like hours to the young girl, then she turned away.

- He is not with you, we both know that. You are already alone, _Jeanne_.

She stilled, her hands slowly clasping each other in a futile attempt to calm herself as her heart began to pound in her chest.

- Tell me, how do you feel when the ones you love as your family call you Jeanne-_sama_? How do you feel when no one kisses you good night? When you see your dear blondie get drunk to forget that Canadian brunette without even looking at you?

The albinos-looking girl whirled around, and faced an empty window. Taking a step back, she bumped into him and stilled again, her breathing stopping completely as her already wild heart went into full drive. She closed her eyes again, letting the Iron Maiden take control…

- _Don't._

His order seemed to crush her will. The persona disappeared, leaving Jeanne lost and trembling under the gaze of the omnyôji. She felt his even breathing on her neck, and the cold flick of his fouryoku, ready to strike, startled her.

- Answer my questions, girl.  
- I don't see what you are talking about. Marco and Lyserg are my followers, nothing else.  
- Shall I laugh at that?

His words were whispered right into her ear. Jeanne suddenly heard her own breathing, low and ragged. Was it really hers? Her body was tensed, held in place by some unknown animal instinct. The great Iron Maiden was playing dead. How ironic.

- I have to say that I agree.

She snapped out of her thoughts.

- … Must you read my mind?  
- It is more amusing that way, don't you think?

Jeanne felt his arms slowly encircling her waist, and in her head she imagined Marco and Lyserg entering the room at that precise moment, then running away screaming treachery. She heard Hao chuckle behind her as he leaned on her.

- You do not fear me, Jeanne. And that is not because of some courage.

And he was gone.

Jeanne fell to the ground, trying desperately to regain control of the rhythm of her heart. Slowly, she crawled over to the Iron Armor, and locked herself into it.

Creepy how Hao could sum up her life in just two sentences.

* * *

**Jeanne:** … Uuuh…

**Marco:** … … Hm… Jeanne-sa… Uh… Jeanne… *hugs the girl*

**Jeanne:** … -/ / /-

**Hao:** Awwww… *takes photos*

**Jeanne&Marco:** … Gaah… … … *red* … … … HAAAAOOOOOO!


End file.
